Registration of color separation images



D86. 7, 1948. CQNDAX 2,455,735

REGISTRATION OF COLOR5EPARATION IMAGES Filed April 12, 1945 LOUIS M. CONDAX INVENTOR WW BY 63mm A TTORNE YS Patented Dec. 7, 1948 REGISTRATION OF COLOR SEPARATION IMAGES Louis M. Condax, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 12, 1945, Serial No. 588,013

3 Claims. (Cl. 101-211) This invention relates to the dye transfer.

process of color photography and particularly to a registration system for color separation images.

In the dye transfer process of color photography a color image is transferred from a matrix to a blank or receiving surface. If a relief image is used as the matrix, the relief is dyed and placed in contact with the blank for a sufficient length of time to permit transfer of the dye from the matrix to the blank. When a natural-color image is desired, two or more (generally three) relief images are successively dyed and placed in contact with the transfer blank. In this process it is necessary to register all of the images, after the first, with the first image transferred to the blank.

Two methods of registration have generally been used. The first method is to interpose a thin sheet of transparent flexible'material such as cellulose acetate between the transfer blank and the matrix so that no transfer will take place during registration. The matrix is held down at one end and after registration is achieved, the transparent sheet is removed and contact with the transfer blank is effected by the use of a squeegee. The disadvantage of this method is that each color matrix must lie-separately registered for each print. Contact of the matrix with the transparent sheet is also detrimental to the matrix so that the quality of later prints is likely to be inferior to the earlier prints.

The second method of registration which has been used is the pin system. The relief matrices are first registered over a glass or other transparent material so that registration may be achieved, and holes are then punched in two of the sides of the matrix sheet. The board on which the transfer blank is located is equipped with pins to correspond with the hole in the matrices; Each relief matrix is then dyed and placed over the pins of the transfer board and squeegeed into contact with the transfer blank. A disadvantage of this system is that the holes in the matrix sheets are easily distorted and out-ofregistration prints usually result.

With both of the systems hitherto used, a squeegee is applied to the matrix to effect contact with the transfer blank and because the matrix is on the transfer blank for a few seconds prior to the application of the squeegee, bleeding of the dye is serious in many cases, particularly when dealing with large prints.

is to provide a method for the registration of dyed relief images. A still further object is to provide a registration method for dyeing relief imageswhich prevents bleeding of the dyes. Another object is to provide a registration method for dyeing relief images which avoids punching the sheets and the use of registration pins. A still further object is to provide means for registering color separation images. Other objects will appear from the following description of my invention.

These objects are accomplished by'the use of the means and method hereinafter more fully described, which, in brief, consists of the use of a flexible sheet having low shrink-and-swell am plitude, to which the color separation images may be successively aflixed in predetermined registered relationship. 7

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. I is a perspective view of the registration device of my invention;

Fig. II is a perspective view of a detail of Fig. I;

Fig. III is a plan view of a portion of the registration device of Fig. I; and

Fig. IV is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. III.

The essential feature of my invention is the use of a sheet of flexible material having low shrink-and-swell amplitude, to which the color separation images may be successively aiiixed in register, the sheet being permanently secured along one edge to the transfer board. By low shrink-and-swell amplitude I mean a material whose dimensions are not appreciably affected by humidity changes and by moisture. Since the color separation images are wet when applied to the registration sheet, any dimensional change in the sheet would affect the registration of the images. Materials having low shrinkand-swell amplitude, which are suitable for use according to my invention. are vinyl chloridevinyl acetate polymers sold under the name of Vinylite by Carbide SzCarbon Chemicals Corporation, such as the resin sold as Vinylite VS- 1310. Other synthetic resins having low shrinkand-swell amplitude may be used, such as those described in Swan U. S. Patent 2,271,668.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel method for the registration of color separation images. A- further object My invention will now be further described by reference to the accompanying drawing.

As shown in Fig. I, the transfer bpard III, which may be of any suitable rigid material such as wood, glass, Bakelite, aluminum, etc., has securely attached theretoby means of the strap H, the sheet l2 of flexible material having low shrink-and-swell amplitude. The sheet I2 is preferably reinforced at the outer edge as illustrated at l3 and has permanently affixed thereto the registration stops M, I, I6, and H, the function of which will be more fully described hereinafter. The relief image or matrix It cooperates with certain of the stops l4. II, and II to effect registration of the successive images. The transfer blank, or paper, which receives the final color image is represented by ID.

In order to describe the method by which registration of theimages is achieved according to my invention it will be assumed that there are available three color separation matrics in relief image form. These matrics are registered one on top of the other in known manner. for example, by placing them over a glass or other transparent plate and moving them relative to each other until exact registration is obtained. The matrics are then out along two sides with a sharp knife or other instrument, a stranght line being out along the sides. It is not necessary for the sides to be cut at exact right angles. The matrices are then dyed in the usual manner and the first matrix, represented by It in Fig, I of the drawing, is placed, support down, in contact with the flexible registration sheet l2. One of the straight edges is placed in contact with the stops I4, and the film I! is then pushed over until the other edge comes into contact with one of the stops l5, It, or II. As illustrated in Fig. I, the film bearing the separation image IB is of such size that it touches the stop II.

The flexible sheet is now rotated under slight tension about the edge of the strap ll until the matrix film I8 is almost in contact with the transfer blank IS. A heavy roller or squeegee is then run over the top of the flexible sheet l2, starting at the end nearest the strap II to press the film l8 into contact with the transfer blank i9. Thus, no portion of the film l8 touches the transfer blank I! until the instant when the roller passes over it. After sufficient time has elapsed to effect transfer of the dye from the image on the film it to the transfer blank IS, the flexible sheet I2 is lifted and the film l8 removed. The other separation images arethen placed on the flexible sheet l2 and brought into contact with the stops l4 and one of the stops [5, IE, or II in the same manner and the dye transferred to the blank I9.

It will be found that the wet film l8 will adhere to the flexible sheet I! withoufslipping, once it has been slid into contact with the registration stops. Registration is easily accomplished and the successive relief images may be rapidly registered and the dyes which they contain transferred in register to the transfer blank IS.

The registration stops l5, l6, and H, as shown inFig. I, are preferably arranged on a line which is not at right angles to a line drawn through the edges of the stops ll. The reason for this is apparent from a consideration of Fig. 11 of the drawing. As shown in Fig. II, if a relief matrix 20 of smaller dimensions than the matrix i8 is to be registered, it will be registered by means of the stops l4 and IS. A larger matrix film would be registered by means of the stops l4 and I6 and a still larger matrix film would be registered by means of the stops I4 and II, as shown in Fig. I. If the registration stops I5, [6, and I! were placed on a line at right angles to the line of the stops l4, and the registration edges of the film It! were cut at a slight acute angle, the edges of the film it would touch the stops I4 and IE, but not the stop I! designed for the large size film.

4 A modified type of registration stop is shown in Figs. III and IV. As shown therein, the flexible ,sheet l2 having thereon the matrix film I8 secures registration by means of the stops 2| and 22 having the overlapping portions 23 and 24. In registering the film ii on the flexible sheet i2, the film I8 is slid under the overlapping portions 23 and 24 of the stops 2! and 22 as shown in the sectional view Fig. IV, until the film i8 touches the stops 2! and 22. Any tendency of the film ii to curl or lift from the sheet i2 is thus prevented by means of the overlapping portions 23 and 24 of the registration stops. I

It will be seen from the foregoing description of my invention that the relief matrix is held against the flexible sheet by a film of water between them and that the registration disks or stops serve as three-point contact stops for the cut edges of the matrix film. There is no need for a glass or cover of any sort for the relief film.

The flexible sheet stays fiat for any length of time. The transfers can be made more rapidly because the matrix can be rinsed in a solution of lower acidity without danger of bleeding of the dyes, owing to the fact that no portion of the matrix touches the transfer blank until the insant when the roller passes over it.

It will be understood that the modifications described herein are illustrative only and that my invention is to be taken as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of registering photographic transfer images which comprises producing a plurality of relief images representing different color sensation records of an object on separate supports, cutting straight lines along at least two adjacent edges of said supports when the images thereon are in register, soaking said relief images in a transfer solution, applying said supports carrying said relief images successively to a sheet of material having low shrink-and-swell amplitude, securely fastened at one end to a rigid support, and having stops cooperating with said adjacent edges of the supports to register sald images, and pressing said relief images successively into contact with a receiving blank for said transfer solution on said rigid support.

2. The method of registering photographic transfer images which comprises producing a plurality of relief images representing different color sensation records of an object on separate supports, cutting straight lines along at least two adjacent edges of said supports when the images thereon are in register, soaking said relief images in' a dye transfer solution, temporarily affixing said supports carrying said relief images successively to a sheet of vinyl resin having low shrink-and-swell amplitude securely fastened at one end to a rigid support, and having stops cooperating with said adjacent edges of the supports to register said images, and pressing said relief images successively into contact with a gelatin-coated receiving blank for said transfer solution on said rigid support.

3. A registration sheet for use in the imbibition process of color photography, comprising a transparent, substantially rectangular, flexible sheet of vinyl resin having low shrink-and-swell amplitude, said sheet having twofiat stops projecting from one side of said sheet and substantially parallel to one edge thereof, and a series of at least 2 flat stops projecting from the same side of said sheet and near an edge adjacent to said first-mentioned edge, the stops of said series being arranged in increasing distances from said UNITED STATES PATENTS last-mentioned edge, the stop nearest said firstmentioned two stops being nearest said iast gg f gfi' 7:2 memmned edge; ting a 1 111 369 mumaKII II Se 22' 1914 rectangular support bearing a. relief image on 5 1'2o1238 Batchelder I Oct; 1916 said sheet, the support touching only one stop 1976'152 Thornton T 91934 of said series of stops when positioned against i j LeJeuue 1936 said flrst'mentmned smps- M C NDAX 2,111,914 Kohiberger Mar. 22, 1938 LOUIS O 2,113,835 Gylleck Apr. 12, 1938 REFERENCES CITED 2,384,626 Koch Sept. 11, 1945 The following reference: are of record in the file of this patent: 

